Church kneeler attachment and kneeler support



y 1968 J. J. NOE 3,383,136

CHURCH KNEELER ATTACHMENT AND KNEELER SUPPORT Filed April 4, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGI I N VEN TOR. JOSEPH J- NOE May 14, 1968 J. J. NOE 3,383,136

CHURCH KNEELER ATTACHMENT AND KNEELER SUPPORT Filed April 4, 1967 BSheets-Sheet 2 J. J. NOE 3,383,136

CHURCH KNEELER ATTACHMENT AND KNEELER SUPPORT May 14, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 4, 1967 PIC-3.5

3 0 H W F 5 z. w w. .E a

/2 FIG. 9

INVENTOR. J05PH J. NOE" FlG.8a

A T TORNE Y5.

United States Patent 3,383,136 CHURCH KNEELER ATTACHMENT AND KNEELER SUPPORT Joseph J. Noe, 1952 Mayflower Ave., Bronx, N.Y. 10461 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 585,062,

Oct. 7, 1966. This application Apr. 4, 1967, Ser.

Claims. (Cl. 297-426) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention provides a readily installable support assembly wherein a multi-channeled longitudinal support is mountable beneath the horizontal kneeling pad interconnecting the supporting legs to brace and align the legs and provide support to the pad. The longitudinal support mounting means may be either integral to or supplementally adapted to the legs and generally comprises a support rest having a horizontal section adapted to accept one end of the longitudinal support; a vertical section; a series of openings and horizontal protrusion on the vertical section aligned with the channels and means adapted to pass through vertical section, openings and channels to secure the longitudinal support and legs.

Cross references US. patent application Ser. No. 585,062, filed Oct. 7, 1966; this application being a continuation-in-part thereof.

The present invention relates to an improved readily installable church kneeler attachment and kneeler support.

Various kneeling devices have been previously designed to be employed with church pews. It has been found desirable so as to provide more aisle room between the pews that pivotally retractable kneeling benches be employed, wherein the kneeling bench when not in use is storable beneath the seating portion of the pew in front of the kneeling bench and both integrally constructed kneeling bench and pew configurations and separately affixable mountings were developed.

Whether separately aflixed or integrally constructed, the retractably mounted kneeling benches heretofore known in the art were generally expensive of manufacture. In my copending application Ser. No. 585,062, filed Oct. 7, 1966, a readily installable kneeling bench was disclosed which is easily mounted and provides for retractability when not in use, and additionally provides for the ready removal and replacement of worn or damaged parts of the kneeling bench through the provision of a unique installation bracket.

Additionally, there was therein disclosed a new method and structure for the installation and stable mounting of the ends or support legs of the kneeling bench, and it is to this attachment and support to which this present application relates.

Kneeling benches are generally supported on at least two and oftentimes a plurality of vertical legs or supports upon which the horizontal kneeling pad is mounted. Since the legs are generally located near the ends of the bench, most of the weight which is applied by a user of the bench is placed on the horizontal pad in an area which does not have a leg or support directly beneath it. This can result in the sagging of the horizontal pad and/or the buckling of the end legs.

In the past, to overcome this difiiculty a plurality of comparatively closely spaced apart vertical legs were employed, however this substantially added to the costs of construction and additionally presented a problem of alignment as between the bases of the legs and the flooring beneath which was not always level.

"ice

Complicated bracket structures while adding stability to the legs created a problem of mounting and alignment and gave no additional strength to the horizontal pad. In many instances the configuration of the brackets were such that end legs or central support legs had to be of a different design so that a multiple of castings, if the legs were cast were necessary in order to provide the various leg designs for either end of the kneeling bench as well as an additional design for the supplemental support legs.

According to the present invention a readily installable support assembly is provided adapted for use with existing leg configurations and additionally adaptable for use with a single design leg configuration which is employable as both end legs and supplemental legs wherein a multi-channeled longitudinal support mountable beneath the horizontal kneeling pad interconnects the supporting legs to brace and align the legs and provide support to the pad. The support mounts may be integral to the leg casting itself or a supplemental mount may be provided for ready use with existing leg configurations.

Although such novel feature or features believed to be characteristic of the invention are pointed out in theclaims, the invention and the manner in which it may be carried out may be further understood by reference to the description following and the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a retractable kneeling bench and leg configuration with the kneeling pad mounted according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the arrangement of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a support leg of the present invention.

FIG. 3a is a top plan view of the support leg of FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is a top view of a longitudinal support of the present invention.

FIG. 4a is a section of a longitudinal support taken along lines 4a-4a of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a support leg and kneeling pad mounted according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a mounting rod of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of an alternate support leg of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a supplemental bracket of the present invention.

FIG. 8a is a top plan View of the bracket of FIG. 8.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

Referring now to the figures in greater detail, where like reference numbers denote like parts in the various figures.

As shown in FIGS. 1-5, the support arrangement of the present invention provides a longitudinal multi-channeled support 1, preferably having three channels 2, which is adapted to be mounted to the legs 3 of the kneeling bench interconnecting the legs 3. The support 1 is so mounted as to have its top surface substantially level with the top of the legs 3 so that the top of the legs 3 and the top surface of the support 1 provide a substantially flat horizontal surface upon which the underside of the kneeling pad 4 may bear.

The legs 3 may be provided with an integral mounting bracket for the support 1 such as by providing a unitary structure such as shown in FIGS. 1-3a and 5 wherein the leg 3 is cast as a single structure either with or without the T-angle arm 5 shown in FIG. 1 for use with retractable kneeling benches or where such supplemental structure is omitted. As shown in FIGS. 3, 3a, within the single leg structure there may be provided a substantially flat top surface 6 and the end rest 7 for the ends of the support 1. The end rest 7 comprises an inset portion 8 on the upper section of a side of the leg 3 wherein the base portion 9 of the inset 8 is of substantially the same configuration of the base of the support 1, the inset 8 being of a sufficient size to accept the end of the support 1 therein.

It is preferable that each leg 3 be provided with two end rests 7, one on each side of the leg 3 separated by a common wall 10, the wall 10 being a section of the leg 3.

The wall 10 is provided with an opening 11 therethrough so spaced as to be in alignment with one of the channels 2 on the longitudinal support 1 when the end of the support 1 is positioned within the end rest 7. A pair of horizontally projecting protuberanees 12 extend outward from the wall It) and are of a size and are aligned so that each protuberance 12 will fit within a channel 2 of the support 1. As shown, the protuberances 12 on one side of the wall 10 are in axial alignment with the protuberances 12 on the other side of the Wall 10. While the single opening 11 and two protuberances 12 configurations as shown has been found highly satisfactory, additional channels 2 may be provided for the support 1 and a plurality of protuberances 12 may be provided on wall 10 to mate with such additional channels.

As shown in FIG. 3a, where the double end rest 10 configuration is employed the single Opening 11 serves for both end rests 10 and each end rest 10 has outwardly facing protuberances 12. In such manner, the leg 3 is vertically symmetrical and as such, the single cast leg 3 may be used as a vertical support on either end of the kneeling bench or as a supplemental central support leg.

The longitudinal support 1 may be of any desired material, however; it has been found that an extruded sheet such as shown in FIGS. 44a is readily suitable, proving proper channel 2 alignment, suitable strength and is relatively inexpensive of manufacture. The extrusion provides not only the requisite channel configuration, but additionally provides vertical flanges 13 which act as a platform for the underside of the kneeling pad 4.

In assembly, each end of the longitudinal support 1 is positioned within an end rest 19 of two spaced apart legs 3 so that the protuberances 12 fit within the channels 2 and one channel 2 is aligned with the opening 11. An elongated member such as a bolt as shown in FIG. 6 is passed through the outer face of the opening 11 traversing the entire length of the channel 2 and exits through the end of the channel 2 and is then securely fastened such as by the provision of a nut 14 on the threaded end thereof.

Where an additional or supplemental leg 3 or legs 3 are employed such as shown in FIG. 2 longitudinal support 1 is aligned as hereinbefore described interconnecting the legs 3. A second longitudinal support 1 is then mounted to the supplemental leg 3 and interconnects such leg 3 with the next succeedingly aligned leg 3. The double rest support 10 configuration as herebefore described permits the use of the leg 3 with its double set of protuberances 12 to act both as a terminal leg for the first longitudinal support 1 and an initiating structure for the second longitudinal support 1. Once the last leg 3 has been aligned, a single elongated member such as the bolt 15 of FIG. 6 may be passed through the entire series of legs 3, there being a common alignment through openings 11, and the entire structure locked in position by nut 14.

As assembled, the top surface 6 of the legs 3 and the top surface of vertical flanges 13 of the longitudinal support provides a support surface for the kneeling pad 4 which may be afiixed to the legs 3 by ordinary means such as screws 16.

As shown in FIGS. 7-9, Where existing legs 17 such as those used in kneeling benches of the past are employed, the leg 17 may be readily adapted for use with the longitudinal support 1.

The leg 17 is provided with a series of openings 18 spaced apart as to align and mate with the supplemental bracket 19. The supplemental bracket 19 as shown in FIGS. 8, 8:: comprises a substantially flat vertical base 20 having an opening 21 therethrough with protuberances 22 horizontally projecting outward of the flat base 20, there being aligned protuberanoes 22 on both faces of the bracket 19. A peripheral flange 23 projects outward of the vertical base 20 so as to provide a horizontal lip along the bottom edge of the base 20.

The bracket 19 is then mated to the leg 17 by positioning the vertical base 20 on the side of the leg 17 which will be the inner surface of the kneeling bench when mounted, the flat portion of the vertical base 2% juxtaposed to the inner surface of the leg 17, wherein the protuberances 22 on the rear face of the base 20 fit with aligned openings 18 on the leg 17.

The front surface of the vertical base 20 is then in position to accept the longitudinal support 1 with the end portion of the underside of the longitudinal support 1 adapted to rest on the peripheral flange 23 and the protuberances 22 fit within channels 2 in the manner heretofore described. The arrangement is then firmly secured by use of the elongated locking member.

While the number of protuberances 12, 22 and the positioning of the openings 11, 21 is optional so long as there is a consistency once the initial relationship is established, it is preferable, especially where an integrally cast leg is employed having retraction structure such as the T- angle arm 5 thereon that the openings 11, 21 be centrally located thereby allowing for a single casting for both end legs.

The advantage of single casting of the legs and retraction structure may also be provided by having a central protuberance 12 and dual openings 11 such as shown in FIG. 9. In such instance two elongated members such as the nut 14 and bolt 15 arrangement of FIG. 6 are employed.

The attachment and support arrangement of the present invention thereby acts to prevent the lateral movement of the legs 3 giving them greater resistance to inward cavitation due to the presence of weight on the kneeling pad 4 and provides the kneeling pad 4 with the horizontal support requisite to longer life and usefulness.

The terms and expressions which are employed are used as terms of description; it is recognized, though that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

Having thus described certain forms of the invention in some detail, what is claimed is:

1. A support assembly for kneelers comprising a kneeling pad adapted to be horizontally mounted onto at least two legs wherein the improvement comprises, at least one multi-channeled longitudinal support adapted to be mounted between said legs beneath said kneeling pad and support mounting means for each said leg, each said support mounting means including; a support rest having a horizontal section adapted to accept one end of said longitudinal support; a vertical section; at least one opening through said vertical section in alignment with at least one of said channels; a series of horizontal protuberances on said vertical section in alignment with at least one of said channels and adapted to fit therein and an elongated member adapted to pass through said vertical section opening and aligned channel of one of said legs to exit through the vertical section opening of the other of said legs and securing means for said elongated memher.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the top surface of said multi-channeled support when mounted is in horizontal alignment with the tops of said legs.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said multichanneled support is of a single extrusion.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said extrusion provides vertical flanges adapted to provide a resting surface for said kneeling pad.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein said support rest is an integral part of each said leg.

6. The invention of -claim 1 wherein said support rest is integral to each said leg and each said leg includes a pair of such integral support rests said vertical section and opening being common to each said support rest and the protrusions for each said support rest is in axial alignment.

7. The invention of claim 1 wherein said longitudinal support contains three channels and said support rest has a single centralized opening and two protuberances.

8. The invention of claim 1 wherein at least one supplemental leg is provided, said supplemental leg adapted to act as a terminal support for a multi-channeled support and an initiating leg for an additional multi-channeled support, said elongated member adapted to pass through said supplemental leg interconnecting said legs and niulti-channeled supports.

9. The invention of claim 1 wherein said elongated member comprises a nut and bolt arrangement. V

10. The invention of claim 1 wherein each said leg and support mounting means are an integral casting.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,107,122 10/1963 Jacobi 297426 3,190,695 6/1965 Jacobi 297-426 3,287,065 11/1966 Barecki et a1 297- 426 CASAMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner. 

